This invention generally relates to data transmission systems, and more particularly, to data transmission systems for installations or environments where vulnerability to damage of parts of the system or the need for reliability in data transmission and reception, or both, are high.
The size and complexity of many modern facilities such as modern warships, aircraft, military command stations and missile launching sites, has increased the vulnerability of the intrafacility communications system to disabling damage. The necessity of maintaining communications in such facilities makes it imperative that the communication system function even if part of the system is damaged or destroyed. While various fault or damage tolerant systems are known, these systems have not generally been designed to maintain communications despite multiple consecutive localized faults.